Mexico: Higher elevations affected most by cold weather

Mexico: Higher elevations affected most by cold weather

Thursday, January 04, 2018
Latin America edition

Mexico: Higher elevations affected most by cold weather
The Mexican weather forecasts published by SMN, Servicio Meteorológica Nacional, say that for today, it’s expected to have very cold weather circumstances in most of Mexico and a strong rainfall in Veracruz, Oaxaca and Chiapas. Some rainfall in the areas of Puebla and Tabasco. There is a chance of sleet in the…..

Argentina: Strawberries to enter the US free of tariffs
The Minister of Productive Development, Juan Luis Fernandez, said that, after being excluded from the General System of Preferences (GSP) for five years by the US Government, Argentina would once again be benefited by it. “This implies that a series of Argentine products can enter this market without paying…..

Brazil: Positive outlook for 2018
A positive outlook for the new year has been published by HF Brasil yesterday. “In the last two years, consumption of fruits and vegetables has been hampered by the economic crisis. Even with a slight resumption of growth in 2017, there has still been no significant recovery in overall fruit consumption.” In…..

Suriname: A thousand growers may export to Europe in 2018
In 2018, at least 1 000 farmers from the South American country of Surinamewill get the opportunity to export non-traditional export crops, as well as fruits and vegetables, to Europe. This is according to the Suriname Herald. These exports have been made possible by an agreement signed between the European…..

US East Coast winter storm put temporary stop on sweet potato exports
Effective early yesterday (January 3rd), the ports of Savannah, Charleston and Wilmington closed due to the anticipation of our current winter storm spanning most of the United States eastern seaboard.The port of Norfolk is confirmed to be closed today January 4th until they release another update later today…..

Argentina declares a productive emergency for apples and pears
The national government declared a one year economic, productive, financial, and social emergency for the pear and apple production chain of Neuquen, Rio Negro, Mendoza, San Juan, and La Pampa.According to Decree 1125 published in the Official Gazette, President Mauricio Macri can implement special extensions…..

Peru expects to export up to 15% more avocado this campaign
Peru expects to export 10 to 15% more Hass avocados in the 2018 campaign than the 230 thousand tons it dispatched in the 2017 campaign.The president of the Hass Avocado Producers Association of Peru (ProHass), Daniel Bustamante Canny, said the volume dispatched would increase because of the new areas that…..

November 2017
Mexico: Papaya prices and trading margins
In November, the price paid to papaya producers in the main producing regions of the country; the wholesale sales quotations at supply centers; the sale prices for consumers in selected cities, and the trading margins of the fruit of Colima and Chiapas origin in the wholesale, self-service centers,…..

Cold and snow impacts strawberries and winter vegetables in Florida & Georgia
Winter Storm Grayson delivered a rare snowfall event in Florida on Wednesday, with Tallahassee recording its first snowfall in almost 30 years. The storm brought ice and 3-4” of snow in some areas of far northern Florida as well as south-eastern Georgia – areas where snowfall is relatively rare. The snow…..

Experienced exporter commences California Navel orange program
Sutherland S.A. Produce is an experienced fruit exporter, their flagship and most established product being their BC cherries. They have also enjoyed a well established citrus export program, shipping produce out of places like Spain and Australia for a number of years. This season, they are commencing a new…..

Special Fruit Logistica

Erik Waterman, Waterman Onions

“Acquisition comes in second”
This year, Waterman Onions from the Netherlands will be at Fruit Logistica in Berlin for the eighth time. “It is the largest fruit and vegetable trade show in the world”, says Erik Waterman. “We, as Waterman Onions, do not want to miss it. All the major players in the international trade of fruit and…..

Global Focus Bananas

Fair Trade bananas look to expand North American presence
When it comes to the North American fair trade banana market, growth looks very possible. “We’re a small player in the market but our sales are growing significantly each year,” says Jennie Coleman of Montreal, Que.-based Equifruit. “In Canada, we’re less than one per cent of the market and I believe…..

NAFTA pullout would be costly to ag industry
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is expecting the value of agricultural exports to remain stable at $140 billion in 2018. Relatively small adjustments are expected in most ag products.On a volume basis, wheat and corn exports are expected to be down, but higher volumes are expected for soybeans, soybean…..

Yellow Venus apple price stable
Apple tree market not yet standardized
“The yellow Venus apple is a breed that was crossbred naturally by professors of the Agricultural Department of Iwate University in Japan. In 2010, it was introduced by Mr. Kumagaya. It is very popular in Japan, and its prices when gift-wrapped have become much higher than those of Fuji apples,” states Mr……

Exciting times for Israeli Exotics
Winter is finally coming to Israel and the passion fruit plantations are thriving with good yields and high quality fruits. “We are now in a full harvest and the export swing should be able to offer the Passion Dream variety continuously all the way to May”, says Nir Dahan, product manager at Yapro, Israel’s…..

Germany: Handheld inkjet

Japanese “multi-colored strawberries” about to enter the Chinese market
Japanese “multi-colored strawberries” were introduced bytheWanhe Qicai Agricultural Technology Companyand are about to enter the Chinese market. The multi-colored strawberries are the main product among early winter strawberries. They originally came from Japan and have a cultivation history of more than 20…..

Supplies into the US are strong
Cold temperatures slow down demand for mangos
As the import mango market transitions from Ecuador to Peru, supplies look healthy.“Sizes are starting to peak larger as Ecuador finishes and Peru strengthens,” says Michael Napolitano of Fort Lauderdale, Fl.-based HLB Specialties LLC. “This is caused by the change in variety. Ecuador produces mostly Tommy…..

Conference dominates the events, quality satisfactory
Germany: “Prices of pears almost identical to the previous year”
While the domestic apple trade is struggling with scarcity and significant price increases, the pear market tends to be more stable. Above all, Conference pears are in great demand on the German fruit market, with Italian and French pears as a complement. In the important growing region Altes Land, however,…..

Northern potato market: above average yields, poor quality
Germany: “Potatoes not stored under optimal conditions”
The potato traders in northern Germany look back on 2017 with mixed feelings. Although yields were sufficient to meet demand, the quality of the stored lots is in part poor. At Lünekartoffel-Vertrieb GmbH & Co. KG, located in the middle of the important cultivation area Lüneburg Heath, the wet autumn…..

Erik Kieftenburg, Fruit Noordholland:
“On average, 2017 was a good year”
The total apple harvest was very low in the past year. Does that also mean it was a bad year? “I think that on average, it was a good year for the entire sector, regarding pricing. Sales before the Christmas holidays were good, although availability was a bit less. Fewer kilograms have been picked, and there…..

Banana transport

Opening first 7FRESH store in Beijing
China: JD launches high end supermarket, joins battle for offline retail
JD (JD.com) is bringing a new premium offline food shopping experience to China with the opening of its new 7FRESH stores, joining an emerging battle for China’s (affluent) retail consumers.One of the biggest factors that has driven the remarkable boom in China’s e-commerce sector, is the traditional weakness…..

China: “Changes 2017 So Orange Brand Conference” held in Shanghai
On December 28, 2017, So Orange, the leading brand on the market of Fengjie navel oranges, held the “Changes 2017: So Orange Brand Conference” in Shanghai. The event brought together government officials, strategic partners, distributors, journalists, investors and other honorable guests from the fruit…..

Shoppers post photos of bare shelves
The mystery of Britain’s empty supermarkets
Shoppers were left baffled after finding rows of empty shelves at their local supermarkets with hardly any food in stock. Disgruntled Sainsbury’s and Asda customers shared photographs on social media of eerily bereft aisles at branches as far and wide as London and Belfast on Tuesday evening.Retail experts…..

Coop Netherlands posts 5% sales increase in 2017
EMD and ASDA terminate collaboration
UK: EMD and ASDA terminate collaborationEMD has announced that it, and the UK-based ASDA, have terminated ‘their collaboration by amicable and mutual agreement’. ASDA joined EMD at the beginning of 2016. Asda had left EMD by the end of 2017 noting that during its membership of the buying organisation it had…..